One drawback with surface mount fuses is the use of solder to connect the fuse element to the conductive ends of the fuses. First, the soldering step adds cost and complexity to the manufacturing of the fuse. The soldered element is housed within the enclosed fuse, which necessitates a relatively complex sequence of soldering the fuse element to the inside of two conductive end caps and fixing the end caps to an insulative housing. The electrical resistance of the fuse element to two end cap connections can result in undesirable heat rise due to electrical current flow through the fuse. Also, the solder reduces the length of the arc channel and may be accompanied by organic flux, both of which can severely limit the short circuit interrupting capability of the fuse.
A need therefore exists for a fuse that does not require the fuse element to be soldered to the end caps of the fuse.